Final Fantasy VII: Ripples
by Daven Thrar
Summary: Small changes can cause a snowball effect on the future. One choice changes Cloud's life shortly after Tifa's accident. How would things be different if Cloud had managed to become a member of the elite SOLDIER organization? ON HOLD
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Journey's Start and Gongaga

**Disclaimer: I don't own this either. I do have a copy of the game for the playstation, the movie, and crisis core for the psp! **

Author's Note: Yeah, I'm one of those authors who'll start a new story without finishing a previous one. I just can't help it. Ever had an idea that won't go away? This is one of those. One change can cause ripples affecting everything after it. This will be AU after the start, obviously. I will probably go through the movie but I haven't decided yet. I'll definitely go through Crisis Core and the Nibelheim mission, though!

Well let's start…

Cloud Strife was just an average eight-year-old boy. He had blonde hair and bright blue eyes. His hair was naturally spiked up all of the time. He was a loner who didn't have many friends in his home town. He lived in a small mountain village called Nibelheim. Most of his free time was spent helping his mother or exploring on his own. Despite this, he was generally happy. Why was he unhappy today you might ask? Well, it stems back to about a week ago.

It had been Tifa Lockheart's fault! All he had done was follow her up the mountain to make sure that she was alright. She slipped on the path and all he did was try to help her. Sure she had a mild concussion, but he hadn't made the bridge collapse. He felt like all of the adults in the village blamed him for her condition. In truth, he blamed himself for it as well. He wanted to be stronger like the SOLDIER members he heard about in the little news that reached them here.

That thought had struck something inside Cloud's head. He had decided to run away and join SOLDIER. He had gathered what money he could before taking off from his home. His mom wouldn't worry too much anytime soon. Cloud often disappeared for days, caught up exploring. Now, though, he was caught sitting on a rock wondering how he was supposed to get to Midgar. There were monsters all over the place and Cloud had no idea how he was going to get past them. He could avoid some of them and outrun others; one would catch him eventually, though.

"Hey kid, what's wrong with you?" Looking up, Cloud saw a man. This man appeared to be very physically fit and he was wearing a ridiculous cape. He was probably around middle age and seemed to travel a lot, judging by the wear of his clothes. The man looked around before addressing Cloud again, "Where are your parents?"

Cloud didn't know what he should do. On the one hand, this man could probably help him. On the other, he could turn out to be some kind of criminal. Still, Cloud decided that he needed some help and it was worth the risk. "I'm heading towards Midgar, but I'm not strong enough to get past all of the monsters," Cloud stated. The man seemed taken aback by the response, but questioned him nonetheless.

"Why do you want to go to Midgar, child?"

"I wanna get stronger and become a member of SOLDIER!" Cloud's exclamation made the man give him an appraising look. This was all the encouragement Cloud needed, so he continued. "Then, I won't be too weak to help people when they need me. I'm gonna get stronger and someday, when I'm strong enough, I'll finally be able to go home."

The man was rather surprised by what the child said. He ran away to get stronger? In any event he could take the kid to Gongaga, it was his next stop and nobody in Nibelheim had mentioned a runaway. Assuming the kid was from somewhere else, though confused on how he got this far away from his home; the man decided he would make the kid an offer.

"Well, kid, I'm Zangan. I'm a master of martial arts. How about I take you to Gongaga, my next stop, and on the way I teach you martial arts? That way you get stronger and closer to Midgar at the same time."

Cloud mulled over the offer for about a minute. He didn't know where Gongaga was, but it was away from here. He could also learn to take care of himself while they traveled there. He could make the rest of the journey on his own. "Okay! So what will you teach me?"

Though surprised at how easy it was to get the boy to agree, Zangan went along with it. The man looked appraisingly at Cloud and noted his small build. "Well," he began, "before I teach you anything we're going to build up your stamina and possibly your mana as well."

Cloud made a pouty face upon hearing this and began to complain. "Why? What good is stamina and mana? Don't I need to build up my strength?"

Zangan cut in quickly saying, "Yes, you need to build up strength but that comes later. You need to build up stamina so that you can practice for several hours on end without quitting. The trip to Gongaga will probably only take about a year and during that time I'm gonna put you through the ringer. If you wanna keep up then you'll have to have some serious stamina. Plus, stamina's good for drawn out fights as well. As for mana, I have a feeling that SOLDIER members use material a lot so you'll need mana to use it."

Cloud still didn't look fully happy. "But what about getting stronger, Zangan?"

"First," Zangan began, "you will refer to me as Master Zangan until we reach Gongaga. Second, at your age building strength just won't happen. You're frame is too small to support the power. I will, however, teach you a method of substituting either mana or stamina to create strength. It's a secret I discovered, but I'll only teach it to you if I'm impressed with your skill. You need to understand that there is more to being strong than brute force."

The boy silently contemplated what was just said to him. At first, it appeared as if he wouldn't answer. Just when Zangan was beginning to think he had said too much the boy looked him dead in the eye. Zangan was shocked at the sheer intensity of the boy's clear blue gaze. With a clear, crisp nod the boy made his choice. He would study under Zangan for a year and he would learn that secret technique!

Thus began a rather unusual apprenticeship. Cloud never did tell Zangan his name so the man just gave lectures on how he should contact his family from time to time. Cloud never said anything, but he knew he would never contact his mother again until he was strong enough to be able to help the people he cared about. Still, Zangan managed to get close to the boy during their many talks at night.

_"So," Zangan said, fire crackling between them, "you wanna be in SOLDIER, huh?"_

_"Yes," Cloud replied firmly, "I want to be strong enough to protect the people I care about."_

_"Good, good. Just remember to live your own life too. Still, never forget the reason you seek power. Power without purpose is a waste, boy. I hope that you live an honorable life and never lose sight of yourself or your reasons for being strong."_

Though Zangan didn't know it, he had touched Cloud that night. Before, Cloud had sought the acceptance of everyone around him and wanted to be like others. Many of Zangan's lessons and talks revolved around the importance of self, though. Now, Cloud wanted to be strong, but not like anybody else. He would become strong by being himself and that was it.

Zangan's training showed in everything Cloud did. Early on in the training, Cloud had wished for Zangan's death every night when he collapsed from exhaustion at the end of their sessions. Laps, squats, and all other kinds of exercises had comprised his nightly rituals. He would stretch every morning when he woke up to loosen his joints and before and after every training session. It was a habit in him now. Still, you couldn't argue with results. Cloud now walked with confidence and his flexibility was impressive.

After, the first three months Zangan had begun training Cloud in martial arts. The crash course was apparently really rough. If Cloud had years to learn then things would be different. As it was, they had little time so Zangan showed him the movements, beat him into submission, and after he healed himself, explained the mistakes in his technique. This 'sink or swim' method was brutal, but Cloud proved he was a fish but not just staying afloat. Cloud thrived in these conditions. Zangan couldn't help but see the resemblance with coal, put enough pressure on it and it becomes a diamond. Yeah, the diamond's coarse when it first comes out, but a little polishing will fix that, easy.

Early on, Cloud had been instructed in meditation. He used it to feel his mana. Zangan had him do this every day. Eventually, Cloud even had to be able to do this while he was fighting. All Zangan had him do when he could touch his mana was move it a little bit. At first, it had been stiff and difficult to move at all. Now, however, Cloud could easily move it throughout his entire body with ease. Cloud had noticed that this always seemed to refresh him and heal some of his minor injuries.

Looking back on it, Cloud wouldn't complain about the eleven months he had spent traveling with Zangan. They would be at Gongaga in a month's time and Cloud's form was nearly perfect. The boy flowed naturally through the moves, even during combat. Not only that, his mana reserve was three times as large as it had been originally! His stamina was amazing, even for somebody twice his age. The man was definitely an amazing teacher.

Still, today he would start learning what Zangan had promised him. He would begin learning how to change stamina or mana into strength! Seeing the look on his apprentice's face Zangan decided to start the lesson. "Okay, boy. You've easily surpassed my every expectation. As long as you keep up your training, you should make it into SOLDIER with no problems. I'll teach you my secret technique during this month. Once we reach Gongaga, you and I will have a fight to see how far you've progressed and I won't be holding back anything, even this."

Cloud, far from being deterred looked far more determined than ever. Zangan smiled and continued, "Now, the technique is actually very simple but I don't want it spreading around. Most people can't even touch their mana through meditation. So, just because it's simple, don't spread it around. Only teach this to people you trust with your life, you understand?"

At the boy's nod he kept going, "Alright, well it's simple. Just cycle mana through your muscles to your fist and hit your target. Basically, you're augmenting your hits with mana. The more you use the larger the effect, obviously. There is a drawback to that, though. It gets harder to control with more mana, so don't be stupid and flood as much as you can into your system."

Cloud absorbed this knowledge readily enough and waited. Zangan, seeing Cloud's understanding, continued, "Stamina's not any harder. I've taught you how to change stamina to speed already. This is the same, only you change it into strength instead. So do you need any further explanation?"

Cloud shook his head before he went and started practicing. At first the changes were small, but he gradually changed more and more mana or stamina and the results were decidedly impressive. Zangan could finally breathe easy. With this ability at his disposal, the boy could take out monsters easily and could probably make it to Midgar alive. Cloud on the other hand had taken Zangan's talks to heart. He had decided to become strong in his own way. He didn't tell Zangan this but he had decided to become a speed based fighter. He still wanted his hits to hurt, but he was going to focus on not getting hit and attacking his enemies quickly.

Over the next month, Cloud practiced that technique as well as doing his other exercises. Soon, it was second nature to him just like everything else he had learned. There was a modification he made to the technique that suited his speed based style more, but he didn't tell Zangan that. It would be his trump card during their fight. After one year, Cloud could look after himself. He was fast and strong. He had the stamina to outlast most normal people no matter what age they were and he had mana reserves comparable to a Shinra elite trooper. That meant his reserves were already the size of a beginning SOLDIER third class' level!

All things come to an end, however, and Cloud and his mentor finally reached Gongaga. Facing each other they shared no witty banter. This wasn't the place for it. This was a test to see if Cloud was ready and they both knew it. At Zangan's nod they launched themselves at each other. Fists and feet clashed over and over again in the forest just outside Gongaga's gates. With his greater mobility, Cloud had the advantage here but Zangan had far greater brute strength.

Flipping over a low sweep kick, Cloud launched a brutal round house at his master and teacher. It was blocked, as expected, but Cloud just smirked. It was time to begin the real show. Bending the knee to draw closer, Cloud focused some mana through his foot before kicking out. However, instead of just creating a powerful kick, Cloud seemed to disappear. Zangan felt his eyes widen before he was kicked right between the shoulder blades.

Spinning around, the man discovered he hadn't been deceived. Cloud was right behind him! Before he could even question how, Cloud disappeared again. Zangan wasn't a martial arts master for nothing, though. Trusting his instincts, the man dodged just in time to avoid Cloud's next attack. The next several minutes repeated this pattern. Cloud would be attacking him one second and the next he would be gone. Zangan barely blocked or avoided these attacks. He just couldn't figure out how the boy was doing this.

As they traded blows they were unaware of another boy watching their fight. This boy had a sword on his back. He had black hair and blue eyes. Like Cloud, his hair was naturally spiky. He was eleven years old and lived in Gongaga with his parents. He watched the fight between these two in interest until they both came to a sudden halt. He noticed that the boy was breathing hard while the old man still appeared relatively fresh. Despite this, the boy's showing was impressive.

"You have done well, young one," the man said to the boy. "We are at Gongaga now. I'll leave you here after I get more supplies. If we ever meet again after today, I expect you to be wearing a SOLDIER uniform. You've made me proud. In one year you've learned something that takes most years to master. I hope you keep your skills sharp, no matter where you end up."

The boy seemed to be tearing up at the man's words and the young black-haired boy left knowing this was a personal scene. He rushed to his parents house to try to convince them to let the boy live with them. He could teach the boy how to use a sword and the boy could teach him martial arts. Then, when the time came, they could make the trip to Midgar together! It was perfect.

Meanwhile, in the woods outside Gongaga, Cloud said his teary good-bye to his mentor before hurrying towards the village. Walking around, he saw that Gongaga was a small village like his home. Still, the people were friendly and treated him kindly. He noticed a couple approaching him with a boy a year or two older than him accompanying them. Cloud did a double take as he saw the boy. If it wasn't for the hair color, someone could mistake the two of them for brothers!

Once the group spotted him they moved towards him quickly. From the looks of things they had been waiting for him, Cloud raised his eyebrow in question. Waiting as they approached, Cloud subtly dropped into a relaxed ready stance. If they attacked him he wouldn't be caught off guard. Once they reached him the black-haired boy smirked before grabbing his sword hilt and launching himself at Cloud as he drew the gleaming blade.

Instinctively, Cloud twisted away from the strike as the blade struck the ground where he had just been. To gain additional leverage against this unknown boy, Cloud stepped on the blade to keep it immersed in the earth. Lifting his other foot quickly, Cloud caught the boy in his shoulder with a snap kick. The boy tumbled away from his weapon and stood up smiling. Once again, Cloud raised his eyebrow.

The boy decided to help with Cloud's confusion. "My name," the boy began, "is Zack Fair. These are my parents," he said motioning to the two with him. Upon his acknowledgement they nodded. "I saw your fight with that old guy in the forest outside the village. So, how about you stay with us?"

The boy looked really hopeful that Cloud would accept. Just as Cloud was going to refuse the offer the father spoke up. "My son talked highly of your skills at hand-to-hand combat and I must say he was right. Anyway, we know you plan to head to Midgar and join SOLDIER. Well, our son does too. You could stay here with us for a few years and the two of you could teach each other. Zack could teach you how to use a sword and you could teach him how to fight hand-to-hand. Then, when you're both a little older you can make the trip to Midgar together."

Cloud paused at this. He would need to choose some type of weapon to use if he wanted to become a member of SOLDIER. A sword was as good as any weapon and he had always preferred them, too. Plus, having somebody to watch his back on the trip would be a big help. Cloud knew he was too young to join SOLDIER now, so waiting here for another few years wouldn't be much of a problem. Additionally, this would give him time to get stronger and possibly make a friend and rival who he could constantly test his skills against.

Decision made, Cloud reached out a hand towards Zack and said, "Cloud Strife, future SOLDIER first class. Pleasure to meet you, Zack." Zack looked happy about Cloud's decision and, foregoing the offered handshake, jumped forward to give his new friend a hug. Cloud was surprised by his immediate acceptance by this boy and his family. They had merely seen him fight once and already the parents were willing to offer him food and shelter for a few years. Cloud wasn't stupid despite his young age. The parents wanted somebody to go with their son and keep him safe. Seeing Cloud's skill, despite his youth and inexperience, they had decided he was the best option they would see before Zack left.

Still, Cloud couldn't help but be happy. He had always been a loner until Zangan came along and now an entire family accepted him so easily. The Fairs didn't know it, but they had just joined his mother and Zangan on his list of people he would grow strong enough to protect. With this thought in mind, Cloud had started his sword training that very night using a practice sword of Zack's. He didn't wait to get settled in or anything; his goal, to become strong enough to protect his loved ones, was once again driving him. During his training with Zangan he had sated it partially, but now it returned with a vengeance as he sought to master this new weapon.

Over the next two years Zack and Cloud spent almost every waking moment together. Zack had a drive just as strong as Cloud's own. They would get up in the morning and do the stretches Cloud had showed Zack. Then they would spend the morning before breakfast doing exercises to increase stamina. After breakfast Zack would spend the hours until lunch teaching Cloud the basics of swordsmanship and after lunch Cloud returned the favor, teaching Zack martial arts. Then, at night, the two boys would perform the meditation exercises that Zangan had shown Cloud to increase their mana and their control over that mana.

They repeated this pattern five days a week for two years. As for the other two days, one was a day of rest and the other was a test of their growth. They would fight each other and even venture out to fight the monsters in the nearby area on their testing day. They did this to see how far they had come. The last day of the week they just hung out and had fun. Zangan had drilled it into Cloud that he needed to take a break from training so that his body would recover. Otherwise, it could have a detrimental effect on his growth. So, the two played games and generally had fun together on this day. By the end of two months they were practically inseparable. Cloud and Zack had become so close that Cloud had taught his friend Zangan's secret technique.

After that, their spars became more intense as they both used that technique. Before, Cloud hadn't been using the technique or his variant to increase speed because he wanted to grow stronger, not rely on that skill to be fast or strong. The results showed too. Two months of growth showed in how he was far faster and stronger than he had been before. Cloud and Zack Became like brothers. They even had similar looks. Everybody in Gongaga knew about the pair. Now though, the two were ready to leave.

Zack's parents and everyone else were sad to see the trouble making pair leaving. Nobody tried to stop them, though. The two boys dreamed of joining the elite SOLDIER organization and they were definitely stronger now. As a gift to Cloud, Zack's parents commissioned him a sword. They knew he preferred larger swords, so they had a special blade crafted for him. The blade was longer than he was tall, though he would grow into it. It could open and close. Zack's parents had seen that Cloud was good at wielding more than one blade at a time, so they had specs drawn up for a sword that was made from several others and could break away. Unfortunately, they had only had the money for the base sword. They gave Cloud the specs, though. That way he could have the rest of it built when he had the money.

Both Cloud and Zack were in awe of the gift. Zack's sword had been a gift to him when his parents heard of his aspirations to become a SOLDIER. Both swords were treated to not rust and be difficult to damage. They were made of mythril, after all. Both placed their respective swords on their backs and said their good-byes to everyone in the village. With their partings said, Zack and Cloud left the gates, never once looking back. One a boy of thirteen with black hair and the other an eleven-year-old with blonde locks. Both would reach heights of untold greatness, breaking through all restraints. That was the belief of everyone in Gongaga as they saw the backs of the two disappear into the woods surrounding their home.

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Okay…that's a rap on chapter one. Next time they make the last legs of their journey to Midgar and take the SOLDIER evaluations!

So should I quit this or keep going? Read and review


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Midgar at Last and SOLDIER Exam

**Disclaimer: Ummm…. I hate these things. No, I don't own anything that could make me money. **

Author's Note: As per usual, I try to post two chapters at once when I first post a new story. For those of you reading my KOTOR fic, don't worry the next chapter is about halfway done. I'm not neglecting anything!

And on we GO!!

"Zack, behind you!" Cloud shouted as he blocked a strike from the odd wolf-like creature attacking him. Zack easily bent at the waist and the third creature went right over his head and barreled into the one Zack had been occupied with. For the most part these creatures were just annoyances. Zack and Cloud had spent the better part of the year making their way towards Midgar. Zack was now fourteen and Cloud was twelve. The two had gained a good deal of combat experience from the various monsters and creatures they met along the way.

They had stopped to rest at small towns and cities along the way and made sure to practice when they could to keep their skills sharp. Even when they couldn't practice, they made sure they still had times to do the stretches, exercises, and meditation practices. During the past year, they had grown at an exponential rate. At first, fighting large groups of monsters continuously as they traveled had been taxing. Now, all but the strongest of the creatures were little more than irritating pests.

Deciding to mana boost, the name he and Zack had given to Zangan's technique, his speed, Cloud appeared behind the creature he was facing in an instant. Without pause he brought his sword down cleaving the creature he was facing in two. Turning towards Zack, Cloud felt the unmistakable flow of mana that indicated his friend was about to perform a high-powered special technique.

Zack put away his sword before a slight glow appeared around his body. With great swiftness he charged the nearest monster and let loose a barrage of punches and kicks before he rushed to the next target. After repeating his vicious assault on the second monster, Zack took to the air before coming down in a vicious double punch to the first monster he had attacked. Skidding to a halt a few feet behind the creatures, Zack turned to observe his handiwork. Both creatures dropped to the ground, completely lifeless.

Cloud just shook his head before saying, "While I'm glad you managed two at once, you needn't have wasted the energy. What's got you in such a rush?"

Zack gave Cloud a goofy smile and thumbs up before replying, "Once we get to the top of this cliff, we'll be able to see Midgar. Then it's only an hour or two journey down and to the gates! We're almost there Cloud! How can you not be in a rush?"

"Who says I'm not? I just hide it better than you," Cloud said with a smirk. "Come on, we need to hurry up and get there so I can beat all your scores on the SOLDIER exams."

So you can what?" Zack immediately started chasing after Cloud, who had run up the cliff after his announcement. "You think you can beat my scores? Yeah right!"

Zack caught up to Cloud at the crest of the cliff and was about to jump him when he caught sight of what made Cloud stop. "So," Cloud said, "that's Midgar. You ready?" He turned his intense gaze on Zack.

Without pause Zack answered, "Of course, come on. I'm sure they already know we're coming."

Laughing and playfully agreeing with his best friend, Cloud responded, "Yeah, we shouldn't keep them waiting. They probably already have our uniforms waiting for us!"

Laughing at the thought, the two began to make their descent. Any monsters that crossed their paths were quickly dealt with. Anything in their way now was in the way of the first step on the path to their dreams. That simply wasn't allowed. After an hour and a half of walking they stood at the gates. Looking up from his magazine, the guard at the post asked them about their business in Midgar in a disinterested tone. This changed when he heard they were here to join SOLDIER. The man practically fell out of his seat laughing.

"You two are just kids," he gruffly informed them. "SOLDIERs are the elite. The only two people who made it into SOLDIER at a young age were Sephiroth and Genesis. Even they were sixteen at the time! Don't waste my time kids." That said the guard went back to reading his magazine.

Meanwhile, Zack and Cloud were silently fuming at the dismissal. They hadn't worked hard for years and traveled all this way to be turned away by some fat old man! Collecting his thoughts and suppressing his rage, Cloud said coolly, "Well, why don't we let the exam evaluators tell us whether we make the cut or not. Your job is to open the gate, not turn away prospective SOLDIERs."

Looking up at Cloud the guard decided to humor him. "Fine," he said. "I'll let you in to have your dreams crushed, don't say I didn't warn ya." With that the man pushed a blue button on his control panel. "Prospective SOLDIERs are taken straight to the Shinra office by helicopter. Just wait here, they'll be down for ya in a few minutes."

With that, the guard ignored the two again, not that they cared. About ten minutes later a helicopter could be heard. When it landed, four people stepped off. Cloud and Zack instantly recognized Sephiroth. They could also see that the other two wore the uniforms of SOLDIER first class members. The final man wore a suit and had white gloves on his hand. This last man glanced the two over before turning to the guard who shrugged.

Sighing he said, though his tone conveyed his doubts, "I am Lazard. I'm the director of SOLDIER and if you two pass the exams you'll receive missions from me. The three you see with me are Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth. They are currently the only members of SOLDIER to hold the rank first class. All other SOLDIERs aspire to reach that height. If you show enough promise, then one of these three may mentor you and show you the ropes. Don't get your hopes up, though. Normally, new recruits are mentored by a third or second class. Do you have any questions before we take you to headquarters and begin your evaluation?"

"Yes," Cloud spoke up. "We used all of the money we saved on the trip here. In the event that we pass, where will we live?"

Lazard wasn't surprised and simply answered, "There is a SOLDIER floor and housing within the Shinra main building. In the event that you pass and become a third class SOLDIER you will be given accommodations within those rooms. In the event that you fail, Shinra is not responsible for your well-being."

The two were undeterred by the last statement, though. They were confident that they would pass; they just wanted to make sure they would have a place to live when they did. Nodding they began walking towards the helicopter. The next fifteen minutes they were treated to a helicopter tour of Midgar before they landed on the roof of the Shinra building. Following their four evaluators into the elevator, they watched Lazard hit the button for floor forty-nine.

Reaching their floor, the six got off the elevator and went into a room labeled training room. "All right," Lazard said. "The first test is a combat effectiveness test. You will each go into the simulation room alone and fight against whatever targets you are presented with. You may decide who will go first." With that declaration, Lazard and the three SOLDIER firsts sat at a provided table that had papers on it. Obviously, for their scoring.

Zack decided to go first and Cloud said nothing, merely nodding good luck to his friend as he went inside. Once inside, the room began to create a replica of what appeared to be a forest. Suddenly several monsters launched out to attack Zack. Cloud, watching from outside, merely raised an eyebrow. That was it?

Apparently, Zack thought the same as he defeated the four spider-like creatures in less than a minute. Standing loosely at the ready, Zack waited for the next stage of the test. The woods changed into barren terrain. It appeared to be some rocky area. Before Zack could continue scouting his new environment, three Wutai soldiers appeared around him. Mana boosting his strength, Zack broke the guard of the first and defeated him before the three had even attacked. Not wasting his advantage, he allowed his momentum to carry him around in a circle where he cut through another one that was too close behind him. The final soldier barely lasted a second on his own.

The rest of the tests continued in this manner. Cloud chanced a glance at the examiners' faces and saw shock on each one of them. He could've sworn he heard Lazard mutter something about SOLDIER level strength. After Zack went five rounds against various numbers of opponents the room faded back to normal. He was then asked to perform various physical tests for flexibility, speed, strength, stamina, and other aspects of his conditioning. All in all, Zack took about an hour before he was out of the room and taken away by a scientist who would perform the mental check up and test his blood.

Seeing his cue, Cloud walked calmly into the room and looked through the glass defiantly at his examiners. The first test began and Cloud decided he wouldn't waste time on these simple combat exercises. A simple mana boost to his legs and the creatures were all dead in a second. Looking outside the glass, Cloud saw Lazard had actually dropped his jaw at the display. Smirking, Cloud said simply, "Aren't there four more combat tests? I'm assuming you're a busy man, being the director of SOLDIER and all. Perhaps we should continue."

It took Cloud just under fifty minutes to perform the rest of the physical evaluation before he was taken by a scientist to be questioned and tested on his mental health and have his blood checked. The scientist asked all sorts of questions about his goals, his family, and his friends. Cloud answered easily and was relaxed throughout the whole ordeal. At last, the man took a vial of blood and said the tests were over and he should rejoin his friend in the briefing room.

Once he got to the briefing room, Zack practically attacked him with questions on his exams. "Relax," Cloud said soothingly. "You should've seen their faces during your performance, and mine. There is no way the two of us are not in. You know as well as I do that monsters that weak couldn't touch me."

"Yeah," Zack said, relaxing. "So how are we going to celebrate our new ranks?"

Cloud just laughed and the two spent some time talking and joking around until the doors opened and Lazard and Angeal walked into the room. Immediately, both of them snapped to attention and waited for their results. "Well," Lazard began slowly, "I think you both know you surprised us all. Never have we seen someone do the initial combat evaluation so flawlessly. Your blood and mental evaluations were equally impressive. Congratulations are in order. From this moment on, the two of you are ranked SOLDIER second class."

The two jumped for joy for several moments before what the Director said rung in their heads. "Wait," Zack spluttered. "Second class? What about third?"

"Well," Lazard said, "your results were so impressive you're being promoted straight to second class. Now all that's left is the assignment of your mentor and to fill out the company paperwork so that we'll have info on you two. Angeal here has offered to mentor you both." Yet again they were stunned. They weren't just skipping a rank. They were going to be taught the basics of SOLDIER by a first class!

"Also," Lazard continued, "your treatments will occur every day for the next week. After that, you will have a week to get used to your enhanced strength and speed while your uniforms are prepared and Angeal teaches you the basics of using materia. The uniforms for SOLDIER members determine how many materia they can use. Two for each ranking, so you will both be able to use four materia. Simply place them against the uniform and they will be absorbed into the fabric. After those two weeks, you will begin taking assignments. So let's get started on this paperwork. If you have any questions feel free to ask Angeal."

So, the next few hours were spent filling out documents with their names and birth place. All sorts of information and signature were required. They were presented with their contracts which stated their annual salary and stated how they were paid. Also, Lazard said the contract would be renegotiated if they became first class. After all was said and done they were alone in the room with Angeal while Lazard left to file their paperwork.

"So," Cloud began uncertainly, "why did you decide to mentor us?"

"It should be obvious. You two show amazing potential. You bypassed the starting rank and can probably become good enough to be first class in a couple of years," Angeal responded in his smooth baritone.

"Ah," Zack replied eloquently. "So, what's this about treatments and such?"

"Well," Angeal said, "most people don't know this, but SOLDIER members are infused with a mixture of mako energy to make them physically stronger and faster. With you two already at your current level, the boost will make you formidable. Your body undergoes changes during the treatment, to accommodate the new power. That's why you won't be measured for your uniforms until the end of the treatments. Follow me, I'll take you to your quarters for now. Tomorrow somebody from the science division will take you to your treatments and you'll need your rest."

Nodding, the two followed him to their room on the next floor up. Apparently, they would be sharing a room. After telling them they should get some rest because the next week would be rough, Angeal left the room. Once they were alone, they talked about what had happened and decided they should follow his advice. After their normal meditation practice, the two fell asleep.

The next morning, they were woken bright and early by a man in a lab coat. Following him to the rooms reserved for these treatments, the man explained that he would be injecting them each with a high concentration of mako energy and that the next few days they would get booster shots to make sure it stayed in their systems. The energy would enhance their bodies and change their structure to be more physically fit. With that the two received a large dose of mako and were taken back to their quarters, moaning in pain as the foreign energies assaulted their bodies.

"Zack," Cloud gasped out, "this energy feels sort of like concentrated mana. Maybe, if we meditate we can take away some of the pain."

The only acknowledgement he got was a grunt, so he assumed that was a yes. With great effort, both of them sat up and assumed their meditative positions. Feeling towards their mana they found the problem. Mako was apparently a highly concentrated form of mana. It seemed that a wild and uncontrolled amount of mana had been added to their normally calm and pliable reserves. It took over four hours, but the two of them exercised this new addition and it eventually calmed down to the same level as their regular mana. Unlike their regular mana, though, this new energy seemed to automatically flow into their muscles and make them stronger.

Coming out of their trances, they saw that they were both a little taller and had more defined muscles. Sighing in relief when he noticed the pain was gone, Cloud said, "We should probably do our stretches and exercises. We won't have much else to do this week since they probably expect us to be bed ridden except for when we're getting our treatments."

"Yeah, I figure the same," Zack said. The next week was spent in the same manner as that first day. They received treatments and were carried back to their room in pain. They would spend a few hours meditating to get the new energy under control, always noting how a part of it seemed to automatically flow into their muscles. Then, they would stretch and exercise until they went to sleep.

The scientists were dumbfounded on how the two could always walk to their treatments. Normally, people had to be carried both ways. They ignored it, though, since the treatments were still working. In fact, they worked better than expected. None of the energy bled off from the body's natural attempts to attack the foreign element and, because of this, Zack and Cloud had a higher concentration of mako in their bodies than any other members of SOLDIER.

After the end of their treatments, they were taller than they had been before and much stronger. Their mana levels had tripled in that one week! That wasn't even counting the portion of mana that automatically enhanced their muscles, either. With treatments like these it was easy to see why SOLDIER members were combat specialists. With this kind of power, skill became unnecessary. Still, the two friends agreed that they would keep practicing their skills so that they never relied on brute force.

On the first day of their second week, Angeal showed up in their rooms around noon. To say he was surprised to see them moving about so easily right after the treatments was an understatement. "What the hell? How are you two not sore after those treatments?"

Cloud and Zack just laughed and said it was a trade secret. Which it was, in a way. Zangan had taught this secret to Cloud and Cloud had entrusted it to Zack. They had no intentions of sharing it any further without them both agreeing to it. Angeal had grumbled, but eventually dropped the subject. He had taken them to get measured for their new uniforms. The black pants and gloves, as well as the armored shoulder pads, were standard to all members. Also, a metal waistband was custom fitted to protect the stomach. The only way to tell the rank of a SOLDIER member, however, was by the color of the turtleneck they wore underneath all of this.

Blue was the color of a third class SOLDIER. SOLDIER second class members wore dark purple shirts and the first class members wore black. These distinctions were the only means of telling a SOLDIER's rank. The uniform had to be completely remade for each rank change, though. Otherwise, the number of materia a SOLDIER could carry wouldn't be changed. SOLDIER firsts got a few other privileges, but they would learn those later if they ever made it that high.

Once they had their measurements done, the two were taken to the training room. Over the next week, Angeal put them through their paces. Stamina, strength, speed, and other exercises made up their routine. He taught them the basics of using materia, which just involved flowing mana into it and then aiming. He helped to polish some of their combat skills with a blade and in hand-to-hand. They went back to their room each night and crawled into bed. All in all, it was hell, but the two had never been happier.

Standing in front of the provided mirror, Cloud examined his new look. The uniform looked good on him, he decided. "Hey, Zack," he called, "what do you think? We ready?"

Turning to face his friend, Cloud noticed Zack's incredulous expression. "Are we ready? Of course we are! We'll be some of the best they've ever seen, you just wait."

Laughing, Cloud turned towards the mirror. In the corner, by the door, Angeal stood silent. He was watching his two new students with pride. They would make first class; he had no doubts of that. They had honor and dreams, and they lived for both. Shaking his head, Angeal walked away. The coming years would be filled with dangerous adventures and exhaustive training.

Still, Cloud was happy. The boy who ran away from Nibelheim was finally becoming as strong as he had wanted to be. Strong enough to make a difference. Strong enough to protect his loved ones. Turning from the mirror, Cloud decided he was finally ready. He could write to his mother, now, and tell her why he had left and what he'd done since. Hopefully, she would forgive him.

Well…. Should I keep going or what? Okay, last minute notices. First, the sword Cloud uses is the main sword in the first tsurugi (his sword in advent children). Second, Cloud will have a relationship with Cissnei, the girl from Crisis Core. I plan to use it to develop the plot later on, you'll see how if you read, but that's awhile from now. Anyway, next chapter will be the start of Crisis Core storyline. How strong will Zack and Cloud be after two years of Angeal's tutelage?

Read and review!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Crisis Core – Genesis Missing

**Disclaimer: I don't own characters, places, blah, blah. I have a copy of the game though, it's amazing!**

Author's Note: Hmmm… there are spoilers for Crisis Core in these next few chapters. Don't read if you don't want to ruin the game experience.

Basically, this is MP times 250. His regular mana supply is 100 and one and a half of that is 150. Total is 250. The way that materia boost stats in the game wouldn't make sense in the story so what I'm doing is if they are altered to boost a certain stat, they really just channel mana or store it better in such a way that the stats improve. It's like mana boosting his speed or strength only it occurs naturally and only for a set stat. If this explanation doesn't make sense ask me for a more detailed one in a review.

On we go!

A train roars past on the ground below, tearing through the gate that just lowered in an attempt to halt its advance. Above, a helicopter approaches. Advancing on the train, the radio on board the helicopter crackles to life. "Wutai troops have hijacked Shinra Express MK93 II. The train is currently headed to Midgar Sector 8. Two SOLDIER operatives will be inserted to neutralize the situation. We are to proceed as scheduled."

On board the helicopter three SOLDIER operatives stood waiting. Cloud Strife, age fourteen, had spiky blond hair and carried the sword Zack's parents had gifted him with before his departure. He wore the purple shirt that showed his rank as a second class operative. Beside him stood Zack Fair, age sixteen, with his black spikes blowing in the wind. He carried a standard sword given to SOLDIER operatives; he only kept the practice sword his parents had given him in his room for sentimental value. He too wore the purple shirt of a second class.

Behind them and watching the moves of his two students, Angeal stood with his arms crossed. On his back was the Buster Sword, a large sword that he almost never used. "Alright, you two," he said. "Wutai troops have hijacked the train. They've disguised themselves as Shinra soldiers. You know what to do?"

Standing at the edge of the helicopter's door, Zack turned and flippantly replied, "Oh yeah, we got this!" Without another word, Zack jumped and landed on the train. Seeing Zack having to jump like a fool, trying to dodge enemy fire, Cloud laughed. Giving Angeal a smirk, Cloud fell backwards out of transport.

A simple backflip and he landed on one knee on the train with practiced ease. "You know, Zack, you should take this a little more seriously. If you screw this up, I might hurt you after all." Cloud said, easily deflecting bullets with his large blade to give Zack time to regain his footing.

"You two need to take this seriously," Angeal's strict voice said from behind them.

Turning with a smirk, Cloud said, "Zack's just in a rush, so don't worry too much. The day we need to take something this basic seriously will be a sad day indeed." With that, Cloud and Zack rushed down the train, blades gleaming as they cut through every regular infantryman in their path. Sparks flashed as they cut down the last two enemies in their immediate paths. Looking further ahead they saw several men leveling rocket launchers at them. "Well," Cloud said without concern, "I think they want us to leave, Zack."

"Not a chance!" Zack shouted before jumping high and landing in a crouch behind the men just as they fired the rockets. Cloud just shook his head before dodging the first three rockets and performing a perfect slice, splitting the final rocket down the middle. Looking up, he saw the soldiers had been taken care of by Zack. Rushing forward, he came along side Zack and the two took off towards the front of the train. Jumping the final distance, Zack brought his sword down on the connection between the front car and all the other cars on the train. He stepped over to the main compartment before turning and watching as the other cars came to a halt behind them.

The squealing of brakes told him that Cloud had stopped their compartment as well. "SOLDIERs second class Zack and Cloud are on the job!" Zack's voice carried across the area. Above them the helicopter was circling before it sent in its report.

The static of the radio crackled before they heard, "Shinra Express MK93 II has been stopped outside Sector 1. Altering observation methods. Commence with mission phase two." With that the helicopter flew off, leaving the two SOLDIER members alone to handle the second part of the assignment. Cloud saw Zack pull out his phone to call Angeal as he hopped of the train.

"Is everything going smoothly?" Angeal's voice came across.

"Piece of cake," Zack responded into the phone.

"You two need to head up to the area above. Take the stairs, but first you'll have to clear a path."

"Clear a path?" Zack said, confused.

"Heh," Angeal laughed as more Wutai troops in Shinra uniforms came down the stairs and opened fired. Sparks lit up the air as the few bullets that were on target were deflected by Cloud's blade. "I think you see what I meant now."

Cloud turned back to Zack and said, "It should be okay for us to cut loose, right?" Zack relayed the question over the phone.

Angeal paused a moment before saying, "Try to keep collateral to a minimum atleast." With that he hung up.

"Guess that's an okay, Cloud," Zack said excitedly. With a smirk, Cloud turned back to his opponents and unleashed a barrage of quick slashes that cut down half of them. Zack charged energy into his blade before launching it in a wave at the few remaining targets. A blue streak left his blade where it contacted the ground. The energy wave traveled along the ground, tearing both the path and the targets apart. Right as the last body hit the ground, the phone rang again.

The moment it was answered, Angeal's voice came over saying, "I guess that wasn't bad."

"Of course! Cloud and I will be first class in no time at all!" Zack answered with his usual bravado.

"Right," Angeal drawled. "Head towards the stairs, your next objective is up there."

"Roger." Once again, the phone was hung up. Cloud and Zack rushed up the stairs immediately and saw a giant purple behemoth. "Well, this should entertain us for a little while. What do you think, Cloud?"

"Please," Cloud said before jumping high. He lifted his sword and pointed it downwards as he descended directly on the giant monster. In his landing, he severed a large number of tendons, muscles, and bones in the monsters side. Rolling off the beast and back to his feet, the creature was now directly between him and Zack and it would have limited mobility on its left side. "This," Cloud continued, "doesn't even qualify as a warm up."

Zack just took up his stance though Cloud caught him whisper, "And they say I'm the one with the big ego." Feeding his mana into a materia, Zack let loose a barrage of fire against the beast. As it struggled to face him, Cloud struck the tender flesh of its neck and it died within moments. Just like that, the giant beast was felled. Zack was smiling and laughing but he saw Cloud pause a moment before cool metal traced the muscles of his back lightly.

"Disgraceful," a cool voice spoke. "Showing your back to an enemy." Hands in the air, Zack rotated in place and saw the flowing silver hair of Sephiroth. Long black leather trench coat with metal shoulder pads. Very long sword. This was definitely the legendary SOLDIER.

"You're not the only hero," Zack shouted before charging. Behind him, Cloud shook his head at Zack's words before raising his sword and preparing to step in. He could see Zack was being over-powered easily. The idiot wasn't even thinking of further enhancing his strength to match the legendary warrior. The instant before Sephiroth's sword pierced Zack's chest it was knocked away.

Standing ready, Sephiroth faced his new opponent. Sparks crashed, as their swords danced a deadly tango. With each strike, Cloud boosted his muscles further with mana. He was actually beginning to push the legend back! Just before their blades clashed again, everything in sight began to shimmer and fade. The virtual reality training room returned to normal. Turning, Cloud saw Angeal and Zack staring at him. He just shrugged asked what was happening.

"Training's over," Angeal said simply. Looking from Cloud to Zack for a moment, he seemed to come to a decision before he turned and walked out of the room. His parting words lingered in the air behind him, "Embrace your dreams. And if you want to be a hero, Zack, you need dreams and honor."

Shaking his head, Cloud turned to Zack. "What was that all about?" Zack shrugged, lost in thought. Seeing his friend was distracted, Cloud took their practice materia and put them back. They would have to equip their own materia now that the training was over. Zack just had a standard cure, fire, and blizzard materia set at the moment. Cloud's wasn't much better off, though he did have one special materia. Cloud had an assault twister, lightning, cure, and hell firaga materia set.

The hell firaga was Cloud's ace. He rarely ever used it, but having it was a huge confidence boost. Zack had never registered for side missions, which were basically company errands. By registering at a board outside the briefing room, you became eligible for extra missions when you weren't on assignments. The extra pay was good and you could keep any items or materia you found. Cloud was saving the money up to get his other five swords made. He had found some powerful materia on one side mission and the scientists in the materia room offered to fuse them for him. Hell firaga had been the result. Not only that, but by mixing it with several items and other useless materia, it gained the ability to store mana equivalent to one and a half times his regular stores for emergency.

Cloud wasn't just saving the extra pay to complete his sword, though. After he and Zack got settled in, he had started to write to his mother. She had been so happy to hear from him. Cloud sent her materia and weapons so that the small town could have some protection. He had also explained why he had left and told her about Zack. He didn't mention that he was a SOLDIER operative, just that he worked for Shinra. After his letter explaining why he left, he received a lot of apologies in his mom's next letter. Apparently, everyone had just been trying to take care of Tifa and they didn't blame him at all. Tifa had even sent a thank you note in the letter and asked him to promise to protect her if she ever needed it. Jokingly, Cloud had agreed. He wrote regularly to his parents and sent a letter to Tifa from time to time, as well.

Taking after his friend's example, Zack had started to write home, too. He told his parents about how well they were doing in SOLDIER and everything. Cloud was fairly certain that some of the information Zack gave his parents about missions was classified, but he wasn't telling. Zack was going to register himself for side missions today, too. On their last assignment, he had seen Cloud use the hell firaga for the first time. Needless to say, Zack wanted powerful materia too and was willing to do extra missions to get them. Reaching the board, Zack registered himself quickly and the two friends went back to the lounge area of the SOLDIER floor. Zack started doing squats while Cloud quietly cleaned his blade.

"What's wrong with you two?" A purple wearing SOLDIER second asked them.

"Nothing," Cloud said simply. "Training's been canceled so there's not much to do. Aside from us, everyone seems to be on vacation or something. What's going on, Kunsel?"

"Vacation?" Kunsel repeated incredulously. "You mean to tell me you two didn't hear about the mass disappearance? A bunch of SOLDIER members just vanished while on assignment in Wutai."

"What!" Zack jumped up from his squats. "Why weren't we told?"

"I don't know," Kunsel shrugged. "I figured everybody knew. Huh, heads up a first."

"Zack, Cloud we have work to do, come on," Angeal said. Zack jumped at the chance for some action. Cloud finished with his sword before sheathing it and standing. "We're going to see Director Lazard in the briefing room. He'll give us the details of our next assignment."

Walking into the briefing room, they saw the director. He stood and shook their hands. "It's good to see you both face to face, again," Lazard said. "Anyway, on to business." A picture of Genesis appeared on the screen with just a few tapped keys. "SOLDIER first class, Genesis. He went missing about a month ago in Wutai. Do you two know anything about this?" When they shook their heads, Lazard continued. "Well, he took a bunch of third and second classes with him. The mission's currently stuck in limbo, so the company's decided to send in you two."

Both of them were confused at this. Sending two SOLDIER second classes to do a job that had been led by a first? It was ludicrous. Lazard seemed content to leave them puzzled, but Angeal decided to speak up and enlighten the two. "I've nominated you both for first class." That was all he said, but it was enough. Both instantly realized that the Wutai mission was their test. Zack jumped Angeal while Cloud just stood there with a huge grin on his face. "Enough," Angeal said, pushing Zack off of him. "Go prepare yourselves and come to me when you're ready to leave."

Cloud dragged Zack out of the room and had him register for side missions before they both grabbed the bronze bangles out of the company's SOLDIER supply pods. Equipping those, the two quickly walked back in and told Angeal they were ready. Nodding, he led them to their transport and began to explain the mission as they traveled to Wutai.

"Alright, B unit is standing by to set up a bomb. The explosion should distract some of the soldiers in the fortress. Your job is to charge the front gates after the explosion and distract the enemy while taking out as many as you can. Rumors say that Wutai have monsters trained to take down SOLDIER members. You two are to enter the central tower and confirm this. If it is true, then you are to take out as many of these anti-SOLDIER weapons as you can. While you are doing this, B unit and myself will be placing bombs all over the fortress. When the time comes, I will call you to tell you to leave. Get out of there as quickly as you can before the fortress goes up in flames. That is your mission, any questions?"

Cloud and Zack sat in contemplative silence for a moment after Angeal's briefing. Eventually, Cloud did ask a question of his long-time friend and mentor. "So, all we have to do is run a distraction of the enemy forces and deal with these anti-SOLDIER weapons if they exist? Then our test to see if we're good enough to be first class depends on how well our combat abilities are and if we can fight at that level for a long time, right?"

"Very perceptive, Cloud," Angeal said with a smirk. "You are exactly right, too. First class means harder missions, harder fights, and slightly more pay. Two ordinary second class members wouldn't be able to distract a large number of enemy forces as well as we expect you two to do. Also, if these anti-SOLDIER weapons do exist, defeating them would be something only a first class should be capable of."

"There are so few first class," Zack spoke up, "that the Wutai don't train them to fight on that level. They wouldn't know how to anyway. In fact, I think you, Genesis, and Sephiroth are the only people to make first class."

"Yeah, we're a small, elite group. You two should feel honored to have an opportunity to join," Angeal smiled at his students. "Anyway, we'll make our way to the fortress together. After that, I'll be leaving you two to handle your part, understand?"

They both nodded and Cloud said, "Don't worry too much Angeal. We can handle ourselves."

"Haha ha," Angeal laughed. "Yes, I know. That's why I recommended you two. Just make sure to put on a good show for director Lazard. His evaluation of how well you perform will decide whether you get promoted or not."

"Of course," Zack said, as though it were obvious. "Just make sure he knows to pay attention, he won't want to miss a second!"

The three laughed and relaxed for the duration of their trip to Wutai. As they saw the fortress in the distance and felt the helicopter descend to let them off in the nearby forests, the three checked themselves one last time before standing ready. From here on out, they had work to do.

Even Zack was slightly more serious as they finally landed and got off. Watching their transport take to the sky, they began moving forwards. Out of the underbrush, three Wutai troops rushed to face the threat to their home. Before Angeal or Cloud could do anything, Zack held his arm out in front of them. Turning back, he smiled and said, "Let me handle this batch alone, okay? We need to make a good showing with the director watching, after all."

That said, Zack charged his newly revealed opponents. With just a simple swing of his sword, two enemies were knocked flat. The slash across their stomachs said clearly that they wouldn't be standing up anytime soon. Turning towards his final opponent, Zack thrust his blade at the man. His SOLDIER strength easily overwhelmed his opponent, breaking his guard and piercing him through the heart. Zack sheathed his sword after pushing the soldier off of the blade. Turning he gave Cloud and Angeal a thumbs up.

Cloud walked past him shaking his head. Angeal, meanwhile, made some odd comment about dumbapples. Turning back, Cloud listened to Angeal talk about dumbapples. Angeal spoke of trees in Banora, the White Banora Trees, which grew dumbapples. He told Zack and Cloud how he stole apples from all of the trees except the ones that grew on his friend's estate. With the story finished, Cloud chuckled. Trust Angeal to tell a story about honor to Zack. A Wutai sergeant and two troopers rushed them from the trees suddenly.

Cloud waved Zack and Angeal aside while drawing his sword. "This group's mine, after all, I have to make a good impression on the director too." The three Wutai soldiers raised their spears to reveal that it was a bladed gun. Cloud raised an eyebrow, but continued walking forward. Bullets were deflected thoughtlessly by Cloud's large sword. The sergeant, seeing the bullets deflected so easily, ordered the other two to keep firing while he charged in close. Barely a moment later, he had closed the distance between himself and this SOLDIER.

Cloud easily avoided the clumsy strikes of the Wutai officer while simultaneously blocking or deflecting bullets. A swift, downward swing planted the sergeant's spear into the ground. Cloud took the offered opening and stepped onto the blade to keep it held there before slashing horizontally across the sergeant's stomach. The cut tore through the standard armor and flung the man backwards where he landed dead.

The other two, seeing the ease with which their leader had been killed, tried to flee. A simple dash put Cloud between them and the trees they had wanted to hide in. Effortlessly, Cloud swept his blade in an arc, tearing armor and flesh, which swept his enemies from his path. They joined their leader in death without the slightest sound. Looking up, Cloud spoke loudly, "I hope you're watching Director Lazard. We're just getting started."

Zack rushed to his side and the three continued towards the fortress. Zack and Cloud took turns taking out the various troopers that attacked them. Neither one had even been forced to use magic yet, this was simply too easy. As they neared the fortress they found a bit of cover and waited for the explosion that B unit was taking care of. As they waited, Angeal brought his large sword up to his head and bowed his head low. With that done, the man brought the sword back onto his back in a single, fluid motion.

"You know," Zack said, "I've never actually seen you use that. Isn't that a bit of a waste?"

"Use," Angeal replied, "brings about wear, tear, and rust. And that's a real waste."

"…"

"You're serious aren't you?" Cloud questioned in place of his speechless friend.

"Of course," Angeal said stoically. "I can be pretty cheap."

"Yeah, no kidding," Zack murmured. In the distance they heard an explosion. "So, it's time then?"

"Right," Angeal said. "You two remember the director is watching. Anyway, best of luck and … mission start!"

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Next chapter of Memories should be out in a few days so don't get mad!


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